Smoking banned at RIMS

Imphal, Feb 7 : Though the state is yet to enforce the government's ban order, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences hospital campus is the only place in Manipur wherein smoking is completely banned.

The authority of the premier medical institution in NE India has so far fined 37 smokers.

Ban on smoking in public places was in force since October 2 last year as part of it's anti-tobacco campaign in order to reduce Cancer cases in the country.

"Soon after the government announcement,we launched the anti-tobacco campaign here,so far we've fined 37 smokers", says Prof Y Mohen Singh,Medical Superintendent of RIMS hospital.

Each smokers was fined Rs 200 and the amount collected from them were used in procuring medicines for the hospitalized cancer patients at the Regional Cancer Centre(RCC).

After the campaign came into force, RIMS authority hardly finds smokers in their campus these days.

Prof Mohen under whose initiative the campaign is on while speaking to The Assam Tribune here said, "Unlike last year, nowadays we fined hardly a single smoker in a week".

This means that awareness on restriction within the RIMS campus has been increased.

He also informed that RIMS is planning to introduce four medicine stores to distribute cancer drugs at concessional rates.

Some of them were even short-listed for it,he added.

Prof Mohen,who is the in charge of National Cancer Registry program in the region said around 400-450 persons died of cancer annually in Manipur as the state's every 1 lakh population has 60 cancer cases which is more alarming than that of HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The sudden increase of the disease is because of prolonged use of tobacco,lack of awareness and limited access to early detection and treatment services.

Prof Th Tomcha,Head of Radiotheraphy of the hospital sharing his observation on 'prevention and early detection of cancer' said 30 to 50 percent of cancers could be prevented once tobacco (smoking) is avoided.

He opined that if the current trend of consuming Zarda Pan among the youngsters continues, then the cases of oral cancer would rise alarming after 10-20 years.

"Those who smokes 20 sticks of cigarette in a day is 20 times more vulnerable to cancer than a non-smoker" Prof Tomcha said "so smokers should also understand their guiltiness as it affects the surrounding".

A total of 1234 cancer cases including 634 females were registered in Manipur during 2007-08.The rate of registration is on the rise as 39 per cent of state's population above 15 years of age are smokers, as per official records.Because of using tobacco, 96 per cent of state's cancer cases among males are lung cancer while breast cancer (or cervix) overcomes womb (cervix) and lung cancers among females."But 30 to 40 percent of them can be cured if they changed their lifestyle" Tomcha informed.